The political parties and the Maoists want the king to use Article 127 to revive Parliament, which can pass a resolution to form an interim government. The key point is that the power to form a government must not be doled out from the palace but decided through Parliament that represents the will of the people.

The principal issue with the Maoists after yesterday’s announcement by the king was that of a fresh constituent assembly. The monarch had not addressed this and soon after his brief address, hectic consultations began with the Maoists reaching out to the Left here for express advice. By this morning, the Left had its roadmap ready and by the end of the day, the plan was reflected in a statement issued by the Seven Party Alliance.

The CPM’s Sitaram Yechury worked out a four-point formula on a stage-by-stage approach to restore popular rule that was conveyed to the alliance leadership on Saturday. The Yechury Formula states that the king restore the dissolved parliament; the seven-party alliance form an interim government; that parliament adopt a resolution calling for elections to the constituent assembly (in which the king would play no role); and in the period leading up to the elections, the interim government would negotiate with the Maoists to renounce violence and participate in the democratic process.

By all indications, there is consensus among the key players in Nepal on this plan. Yechury also spoke to Union Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the seniormost minister in the Prime Minister’s absence, on his plan and the talks with the Nepalese political leadership.

On Saturday, Indian envoy Shiv Shankar Mukherjee met King Gyanendra. The message conveyed by New Delhi was that he use Article 127, that gives him the power to issue any order to remove difficulties in the implementation of the constitution. This had earlier been conveyed by Special Envoy Karan Singh as well. But the king has maintained that the matter is sub judice, as a petition against the reinstatement of the Nepalese parliament is before an 11-judge bench.

With the street protests swelling, there is anxiety that a solution is found at the earliest. During Karan Singh’s visit, the message from New Delhi was that once a government was formed in Nepal, India would resume all aid and give a comprehensive package for the restoration of the economy. Sources said that if the new government were to make a request for arms supplies, New Delhi would be in a position to give ‘‘positive consideration’’ to the request.

However, India is keen to assert that it is not interfering in Nepal. In Hanover, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told reporters, ‘‘Our role is to ensure that all elements of Nepalese polity are talking to each other. We are not dictating anything and our role is of a conciliator.’’ That position also got the support from the US and the UK who want India to play a leading role in the Nepalese development.

In New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said that India had all along been consistent in its position that multi-party democracy was the key to peace in Nepal.

Yechury Formula

• The king restores the dissolved Parliament

• The alliance forms an interim government

• Parliament adopts a resolution calling for elections to the constituent assembly

• In the run-up to the polls, interim government would negotiate with Maoists to renounce violence